Researchers Capture First-Ever Visuals Of Basking Shark, the World’s Second Largest Fish, Being Hit By A Boat

Researchers have captured the first-ever visuals and data of a shark being struck by a boat.

The unusual incident took place off the coast of Ireland. shortly after an endangered basking shark was fitted with cutting-edge monitoring equipment.

The data, gathered using a gadget similar to a FitBit and a connected camera, represents a significant milestone in marine research.

0A shark researcher at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center stated that the incident marks the first-ever direct observation of a ship strike on a marine megafauna.

Researchers were unable to tell if the shark recovered from the strike since its monitoring tag detached itself around seven hours later, indicating no return to normal behaviour during that time.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, basking sharks, the world’s second-largest fish species with lengths exceeding 8 meters, are at risk of extinction.

Their surface-feeding behaviour, which is similar to that of some whales, makes them more vulnerable to boat strikes.

Ireland passed the Wildlife Act in 2022 to preserve basking sharks, & the Irish government built the country’s first National Marine Park this year, covering 70,000 acres around the coast of County Kerry.